FRANKLIN — The Finance Committee on Tuesday unanimously endorsed next fiscal year’s $99.8 million budget, sending it along to the Town Council for a final review.

"Thanks for all of the preparation," said committee chairwoman Susan Dewsnap, addressing Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting, treasurer/collector James Dacey and comptroller Susan Gagner. "It all went smoothly."

The council may hold budget hearings as early as the end of the month.

Up more than $3.4 million over this fiscal year, the budget would add 12 new employees for the town and school department — notable because in recent years the town has stuck with "level-service" budgets that eschewed cuts and new hires.

The school district’s $57.8 million budget — up more than 2 percent over FY ’14 — would add 10 new teachers, six of them at the high school in an effort to drive down class sizes there.

The police department has asked to hire a patrol officer. Police Chief Stephan Semerjian has said he would like to see the department eventually return to 50 sworn officers, as continued downsizing may lead to more reactive police work. The town has 44 officers — three lieutenants, eight sergeants and 32 on patrol.

In preparation for the opening of the new Franklin High School, the facilities department hopes to increase that building’s custodial staff by one to decrease its workload of about 52,000 square feet cleaned per day.

Apart from new hires, the budget also includes an additional $14,000 for the library to pay for Sunday hours. The library has not opened on Sunday in more than a decade. The new hours would be 1:30 to 5 p.m. from September through May.

The committee, before voting on the actual budget, approved the $2.5 million capital budget. The highlights are new police and fire vehicles and water line work across town.